The Pike Place Market in Seattle is one of the oldest continuously operating farmers markets in the United States! It actually began in 1907 as an experiment! They wanted to create a place where farmers could sell their fresh produce directly to locals instead of through middlemen or wholesalers. They could make more money while shoppers could meet the farmer!
On opening day (August of 1907) of Pike Place Market, there were only ten farmers. But there were thousands in line to buy! Needless to say that the farmers sold out by lunch and the market was a huge hit. By the next week, there were 70 farmers. By the 1930s, there were over 600.
It survived the Great Depression in the 1930s, but World War II did a number on it. New businesses and industry took over and the markets were not in use like they were. Many people moved away from downtown and the demand became less and less.
In 1971 there was a choice to make, keep the old market or develop a new one. It was decided to renovate and restore the market and it became a national historic landmark. I’m so glad they did! Pike Place Market is where Starbucks began and the original Starbucks is located here.
